Didactic SynCast

On this very special episode of the SynCast, I speak with my friend and teaching colleague Dr. Lucy Polo. Her work in sociology has taken her to Colombia, Bolivia, and many other places. For 15 years she worked in the south Mexican state of Chiapas, where the Zapatista movement transformed the way people around the world think about indigenous communities, neoliberal economics, and democracy itself.  Enjoy this discussion about her life and work, the people she met in Chiapas, and how the EZLN raised the consciousness of everybody who came into contact with its unique forms of activism. * Wikipedia: Zapatista Army of National Liberation [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zapatista_Army_of_National_Liberation] * End Song: Matador [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjPA7CXutDw&ab_channel=LFCVEVO] by Los Fabulosos Cadillacs

Summer is here and after a year of being Audio AWOL, I'm back with a huge brain full of stuff to dump on you. Now that school is off for three months, I felt the urge to turn on the mic and just word vomit for two hours. Some topics I discuss:  * Energy as a resource like time + money * UDHR Article 24 * Garrett, my best friend of 30 years who passed away in November 2023 * Capitalism (feat. Bob the Businessman) * Donald Trump (feat. White Guy With Dreads) * Education (feat. various characters) * Gaza (feat. Annoying Supporter of Israel) * Epistemology, Ethics, and (a little) Metaphysics * Audio Two's 1988 album What More Can I Say * Lots of Other Stuff Enjoy! Lemme know what you think. Send questions and thoughts. (The more I get, the more likely I am to make another podcast sooner rather than later.)

Hawaii's Tragedy, UK Beer, Floreda Psychology, and 50 Years of Hip-Hop ____________________ First Things * Hello, Floreda! [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-2IyKDTUGE&t=37s&ab_channel=BBBQ] * Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands [https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/59069071] * Impossible People: A Completely Average Recovery Story [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62315670-impossible-people?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=psnbsGYwJu&rank=3] Current Events * Hawaii and climate change [https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/aug/11/hawaii-fires-made-more-dangerous-by-climate-crisis] * Biden administration announces $1.2B in funding for projects to pull carbon from the air [https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/4148157-biden-administration-announces-funds-for-projects-to-pull-carbon-from-the-air/] * IEA flags risk of higher oil prices, cuts 2024 demand view [https://www.cnbc.com/2023/08/11/iea-flags-risk-of-higher-oil-prices-cuts-2024-demand-view.html] * The 2024 US Presidential Election * Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro is barred from running for office until 2030 [https://apnews.com/article/brazil-bolsonaro-ineligible-court-ruling-vote-99dee0fe4b529019ccbb65c9636a9045] * Coup in Niger [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2023_Nigerien_coup_d] * Operation Lone Star [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Lone_Star]  * Article 14 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights [https://www.un.org/en/about-us/universal-declaration-of-human-rights] says: "Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution." * It is not illegal to seek asylum in the US [https://www.rescue.org/article/it-legal-cross-us-border-seek-asylum] Economics * UK alcohol tax changes [https://www.npr.org/2023/08/11/1192679350/uk-alcohol-beer-tax] * Linda Yaccarino says brands are coming back to "X" [https://www.axios.com/2023/08/10/x-twitter-ceo-linda-yaccarino-brands-return] * Elon Musk and unions [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_and_unions] Education * Florida now says AP Psychology allowed in schools [https://thehill.com/homenews/education/4147795-florida-ap-psychology-allowed-schools/] * DeSantis and New College [https://www.newyorker.com/news/the-political-scene/what-is-ron-desantis-doing-to-floridas-public-liberal-arts-college] Killer Robots, etc * Robotaxis in San Francisco [https://thehill.com/homenews/ap/ap-top-headlines/ap-2-robotaxi-services-seeking-to-bypass-safety-concerns-and-expand-in-san-francisco-face-pivotal-vote/] * SEIU Local 87 President Olga Miranda in favor, most other labor leaders against [https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2023/08/10/18858283.php] * War in the Age of Intelligent Machines [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/83650.War_in_the_Age_of_Intelligent_Machines?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=8S0apVBl83&rank=1] * The Smart Wife [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51456610-the-smart-wife?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_14] Hip-Hop * Kool Herc’s first block party was 11 August 1973 [https://www.essence.com/entertainment/the-block-party-where-hip-hop-was-born-1973/] * Call of Duty “celebrates” 50 years of hip-hop [https://gameranx.com/features/id/471900/article/call-of-duty-modern-warfare-2-and-warzone-2-0-all-50-years-of-hip-hop-daily-login-rewards/#:~:text=In%20Season%205%20of%20Call,Nicki%20Minaj%20and%2021%20Savage.]

A special treat on the day before my new scifi novel Delivery to Nimbus X drops. Here's Chapter 1 of the audiobook, exclusively released to my awesome SynCast audience. The other chapters will appear on this feed in the weeks ahead. Thanks for listening, and enjoy!

On this very special episode, I give thanks for my mom Linda and step-dad Rob! Listen as we discuss their lives and loves, their jobs and journeys. We recorded these conversations in Florida during the summer of 2021. Happy Thanksgiving, everybody!